Back in 2016, Land Rover stated that the classic Defender wouldn’t return to production. The automaker, though, didn’t say anything about special edition models. While it’s easy to get excited and think that the Defender is back, this variant of the iconic Defender is a limited-edition model.Read more »

Toyota have apparently decided to pull the covers off the all-new Supra at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, which starts on March 6 for the press days. The sports car won’t be sold with Toyota badges, though, as it will be Gazoo branded, AutoExpress reports, citing the man in charge of the sub-brand, Shigeki Tomoyama, who made it clear that “the Supra will be Gazoo”.

It appears that the new Gazoo Supra will arrive in four states of tune, with various power levels, suspension tunes, and equipment. The base model will be known simply as Supra, the mid-range versions will add the GR and GR Sport monikers, respectively, while the range-topper will be baptized as Supra GRMN.

Unlike its brother from another father, the new BMW Z4, which will be sold solely as a convertible, the new Supra will arrive as a fixed-roof coupe, and it needs to appeal to fans of the classic car, according to Tomoyama, who may have hinted one of its rumored powertrains, by saying:

“The new car has to appeal to the existing owners first. The old car had a straight-six engine, twin-turbos, and rear-wheel drive; the new car must have the same philosophy.”

Tomoyama probably refers to the six-cylinder unit that’s believed to develop 335 horses, likely aimed at the United States, among other markets, which is said to be joined by a four-cylinder mill with around 250 horses.

Despite its rumored Geneva Show debut, the Gazoo Supra might not arrive in showrooms until the second half of next year, presumably close to the launch date of the new BMW Z4.

Like all manufacturers, Kia has to meet stricter emissions targets in Europe, and to do so it will electrify some of its models and launch some EVs.The current Sportage and next generation Cee’d are two models that will arrive with a 48V mild-hybrid technology, Hyundai’s R&D chief, Woong Chul Yang, told AutoExpress.

“For Europe, there is demand for mild-hybrid 48-volt technology, so we are working on that for the Sportage, and for medium-sized SUVs, and we are working on that for the new Cee’d. This is to meet all those tough CO2 requirements”, Yang said.

The third-generation Kia Cee’d appears to be ready, in South Korea at least, where the car was recently spotted without any camo at all. However, it will make its European premiere at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show in March.

Aside from the confirmed mild-hybrid technology in Europe, the 2019 Cee’d will use several three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, most of which (if not all) will be shared with its Hyundai “cousin”, the i30.

Kia will also launch a fully electric variant of the Niro later this year, as previewed by the concept that debuted at CES, while the Stonic sub-compact SUV is also tipped to get an all-electric version as well.

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While Kia continues to conceal its European 2019 Cee’d prototypes, in Korea, the automaker has circulated an example of the all-new hatch on the road without a single trace of camouflage. Boasting a sleek Tiger Nose grille and a couple of design traits borrowed from the smaller Rio, the 2019 Cee’d builds on its five-door replacement. The new car features a slightly more dynamic exterior, one you could almost mistake for being German.

These images from FreeCarTok, show that the all-new Cee’d comes with a simpler rear end design, featuring elongated horizontal taillights that are far less bulbous than before.

While it would be a bit of a stretch (no pun intended) calling the new Cee’d a larger version of the Rio, the resemblance between the two can be uncanny, especially if you look at the contours of the body.

As far as technology is concerned, we expect the Cee’d to share its petrol and diesel engines as well as its on-board tech with the Hyundai i30, including turbocharged three-cylinder petrol and a 1.6-liter turbo diesel. It will come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, plus safety systems such as Autonomous Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Detection and even Lane Keeping Assist.

We expect the 2019 Cee’d in five-door trim to make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March followed by the three-door Pro_Cee’d and a sleeker looking yet practical shooting brake model that was previewed by the Proceed Concept in Frankfurt last fall.

H/T to Jean-Philippe!

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The Plus 8 is an iconic sports car built by British firm Morgan, and it’s making a comeback as a limited edition model.Named Morgan Plus 8 50th Anniversary Special Edition, the car will be limited to just 50 examples, which will be sold through the brand’s dealership network at an undisclosed price.

Tipping the scale at 1,100kg (2,425lbs), this is “one of the lightest V8 passenger cars in the world”, according to the firm, needing just 4.5 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100km/h (62mph), before tapping out at 250km/h (155mph).

Nothing else is known about it so far, although enthusiasts won’t have to wait that long for the reveail, as it will celebrate its world premiere at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, which starts on March 6 for the press, and two days later for the public.

In a surprising move, Mercedes-Benz has reportedly decided to offer the updated C-Class with a diesel plug-in hybrid powertrain. According to Autocar, this version of the revamped C-Class will be named the C400d EQ Power and feature a zero-emission range of up to 31 miles (50km). Moreover, it will be joined by a new petrol-electric version, called the C400 EQ Power.

Both will use an updated version of the electric motor used on the current petrol-electric C350e PHEV that’s delivering an extra 41hp to the wheels, in addition to a tweaked charging system, which will provide quicker charging times, according to undisclosed sources that are familiar with the issue.

The rest of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class models will benefit from new 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol and diesel units, with extra power and lower CO2 emissions.

Diesels will churn out 148hp, 192hp, and 241hp in the C200d, C220d, and C300d, respectively. One of the petrol options will get 188hp in the C200 EQ Boost that’s named that way to highlight the implementation of a mild hybrid setup with a 48V electric architecture that adds an extra 17hp of electric boost for short periods of time, and a belt-driven alternator.

The upcoming C300, on the other hand, doesn’t have a hybrid function, but comes with 255hp, up 13hp compared to the current car, thanks to increased turbo boost pressure.

At the higher end of the range, the C43 models are believed to retain the 3.0-liter V6 engine, but with a minor power boost, whereas the top-of-the-tine C63 will get an updated version of the 4.0-liter V8 with new twin-scroll turbochargers.

Depending on the selected model, the facelifted C-Class will come with either a 6-speed manual or a new 9-speed automatic gearbox that replaces the 7-speed auto offered on the current models.

Styling changes to the 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class are expected to be discreet, with modified lighting units, bumpers, and a new diamond pattern grille insert on AMGs. The range-topping versions will get Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus headlights as seen on the E-Class and S-Class.

The facelifted Mercedes-Benz C-Class is expected to mark its first public debut in March, at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.

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Bentley will lift the covers off the new plug-in hybrid version of the Bentayga SUV at the Geneva Motor Show this March. This will be the first model ever to be offered with an electrified powertrain by the British luxury car maker, expanding at the same time the range of powertrain options the Bentley Bentayga can be had with.

Bentley has promised to offer a plug-in hybrid version of every model in the range, with the Bentayga plug-in hybrid expected to feature a similar powertrain as the one used in the Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid, Automotive News reports.

Porsche’s electrified powertrain pairs a 2.9-liter V6 with a 136hp electric motor for a combined output of 462hp, enabling the plug-in hybrid Panamera to travel on electric power alone up to 48km (30 miles).

The Bentley Bentayga is now available with two engine choices, including a V8 diesel and the range-topping W12 versions. The company will add a turbocharged V8 option in the range in the coming weeks, with the new plug-in hybrid model to go on sale in the second half of the year.

Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops

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Audi doesn’t have plans to hold a press conference at the North American International Auto Show but it appears the company could still reveal the all-new A6 later this month.Back in December, we told you about the company’s “Reveal the A6” film competition and now the automaker has released additional details about the campaign which asks aspiring filmmakers to produce a video for the upcoming sedan.

The people who submit the six best ideas will be invited to Ingolstadt to “experience the new Audi A6 Sedan up close” on January 15th. It remains unclear if this is just a private showing but it could suggest the company will reveal the car on that day as the material goes on to say “Up to this point, the car will not be disclosed to the public.”

The six filmmakers will then be given €15,000 ($18,104) to turn their ideas into a film that needs to be completed by February 12th. The three best films will be shown at the Geneva Motor Show and this suggests the car will make its debut in Switzerland.

Audi is remaining tight-lipped about the model but the company said those “looking for inspiration for the features” on the A6 should “take a closer look at the new Audi A7 Sportback.” Notable highlights on the latter model include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a new interior layout that consists of a 10.1-inch upper display and an 8.6-inch lower display which provides access to various climate control and comfort functions.

We can also expect a Bang & Olufsen premium audio system and an assortment of advanced driver assistance systems which use up to five radar sensors, five cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a laser scanner.

Under the hood, there will be an assortment of four- and six-cylinder engines including a 3.0-liter TFSI V6 which develops 340 PS (250 kW) and 500 Nm (368 lb-ft) of torque. In the A7, the engine enables the model to accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 5.3 seconds before hitting a limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

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Audi doesn’t have plans to hold a press conference at the North American International Auto Show but it appears the company could still reveal the all-new A6 later this month.Back in December, we told you about the company’s “Reveal the A6” film competition and now the automaker has released additional details about the campaign which asks aspiring filmmakers to produce a video for the upcoming sedan.

The people who submit the six best ideas will be invited to Ingolstadt to “experience the new Audi A6 Sedan up close” on January 15th. It remains unclear if this is just a private showing but it could suggest the company will reveal the car on that day as the material goes on to say “Up to this point, the car will not be disclosed to the public.”

The six filmmakers will then be given €15,000 ($18,104) to turn their ideas into a film that needs to be completed by February 12th. The three best films will be shown at the Geneva Motor Show and this suggests the car will make its debut in Switzerland.

Audi is remaining tight-lipped about the model but the company said those “looking for inspiration for the features” on the A6 should “take a closer look at the new Audi A7 Sportback.” Notable highlights on the latter model include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a new interior layout that consists of a 10.1-inch upper display and an 8.6-inch lower display which provides access to various climate control and comfort functions.

We can also expect a Bang & Olufsen premium audio system and an assortment of advanced driver assistance systems which use up to five radar sensors, five cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a laser scanner.

Under the hood, there will be an assortment of four- and six-cylinder engines including a 3.0-liter TFSI V6 which develops 340 PS (250 kW) and 500 Nm (368 lb-ft) of torque. In the A7, the engine enables the model to accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 5.3 seconds before hitting a limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

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SsangYong are getting ready to replace the aging Musso with an entirely new pickup truck, based on the same underpinnings as the latest Rexton. Shown in an official image released prior to its 2018 Geneva Motor Show presentation in March, the new SsangYong Musso, which is known as the ‘Rexton Sports’ in its homeland, South Korea, is coming to challenge the likes of the Mitsubishi L200 and Renault Alaskan.

Nothing else is known about it so far, but since it will share the same platform with the Rexton SUV, albeit with a few suspension modifications, it’s also expected to use the latter’s 2.2-liter diesel engine, in European markets at least. This is good for 178PS (176hp) and 420Nm (310lb-ft) of torque, channeled to the 2WD or AWD system through a 7-speed automatic transmission, made by Mercedes-Benz.

In different parts of Asia, customers will probably get a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol mill, mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox, which is also found on the new Rexton.

Single or crew cab versions are believed to arrive in Europe, but we’ll know for sure once the new SsangYong Musso celebrates its public presentation in a couple of months.